Commentary

With all of the foolish concern over former President Trump’s remark that he would be dictator on Day One only to secure the border and begin drilling again, Americans seem to have forgotten the consequential order of the Biden-Harris administration’s Day One, an all-of-government approach to advance diversity, equity and inclusion across the federal government.

With that executive order, each department in the bureaucracy got its marching orders to establish agendas to meet the administration’s DEI goals.  You need to be aware how consequential that order has become.

The Pro-Hamas Riot

One of President Biden’s DEI hires, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, the first native American to serve as a cabinet member, needs to be held accountable for the pro-Hamas riot in Washington DC last month.

I’ve learned that the U. S. Park Police, serving under the Interior Department, assigned just 29 officers to handle thousands of protestors.  U.S. Park Police FOP chairman Kenneth Spencer, a 15-year veteran, complained about years of “empty promises” for funding, saying the police were “alone” and “understaffed” while being assaulted, even pelted with feces. 

The Washington Post, ran its usual cover for the administration, insisting that “most demonstrators walked and chanted peacefully,” but outside Union Station, pro-Palestinian protesters took down the American flag and set it on fire, along with an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, while raising a Palestinian flag. They spray-painted the Christopher Columbus fountain and adjacent Liberty Bell reproduction with ugly anti-Israeli graffiti.

Of course, the leftists of Washington DC wouldn’t think of comparing the physical damage done in the pro-Hamas riot compared to the January 6 breach of the Capitol.

Haaland had her DEI plan, and it was consequential despite its goals. In her plan to implement a “vision of utilizing an equity lens” within the agency’s law enforcement programs, clear guidelines on the use of force standards and body cameras and other issues were addressed.

Interestingly, Haaland’s plan calls for her department to continue “to develop and implement policies to foster greater trust in law enforcement and improvements in the agency’s law enforcement programs.”  In the spirit of DEI, a smiling black female U.S. Parks officer is featured in the plan and shown at right.

Last fall, Haaland announced a number of “overarching improvements to enhance the trust” afforded to the Interior Department.  That trust was obviously broken with its inadequate coverage of the pro-Hamas protest.

DEI in the Secret Service

While Kimberly Cheatle, obviously another DEI hire, was pressured into resigning her lead position at the Secret Service, I wonder how many Americans realize that the Secret Service reports to the Department of Homeland Security, headed by none other than Alejandro Mayorkas, an unelected bureaucrat who failed to secure our southern border.

Listening to the Secret Service and Butler, Pennsylvania police review the timeline of the assassination attempt on former President Trump we learned that there were communications problems.  When the presence of the shooter became known, they were texting.  Yes, texting!  They might as well have been using the tin cans and string method or carrier pigeons.

We also learned that the Secret Service held no physical meetings with local law enforcement to coordinate responsibilities.

A side question being asked: Should the Secret Service have to fight for operating funds with the U.S. Coast Guard, also assigned to Homeland Security?

No Lessons Learned

With the lack of communications at the Trump rally, I recalled the communications problems encountered during and after the September 11, 2001 attacks.  Have we learned nothing?  It appears so.

The 9/11 Commission found that there were several communications failures at the federal government during the attacks, perhaps the most serious having occurred while the National Military Command Center, couldn’t communicate with the FAA air traffic control center.

Due to the loss of its emergency operations center on the third floor of one tower, there was little communications between the New York City Police Department and the fire department.

Cross department and cross discipline communications problems aren’t new.  There was an inability to communicate between departments during and after the 1995 bombing of the Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City.

Federal Government Computer Problems

In addition to voice communications, the federal government has also lagged horrendously for decades in updating agency computer systems.

Seemingly, the traveling public has become accustomed to computer problems relating to air travel, but I recall during my 40 years working in the aerospace industry, the problems encountered in validating avionics systems with the FAA.

The FAA has struggled to update systems and processes, many of which were put in place decades ago to keep up with technological advancements, not only in aircraft systems, but expanding air travel requirements.

The IRS, too, is lagging.  It continues to use hundreds of applications, software, and hardware systems that are outdated – 25 years and older, written in a programming language no longer used.

I understand that the critical system that helps the IRS assess taxes, generate refunds, update accounts was built in the late 1960’s, and has been updated over the years, spending hundreds of millions of dollars.

It is estimated that of the government’s $100 billion in annual IT spending for government-wide agencies, grappling with aging or old systems, 80 per cent goes to operating and maintaining existing systems.

The IRS claims to fully replaced its system by 2030.  Don’t hold your breath.

No Excuses

With the communications technology available today – voice and digital – there simply is no excuse for the foul-ups caused by agencies, who are apparently more concerned with diversity, equity, and inclusion.

You might ask, why hasn’t the government issued invitations to bid to our high-tech companies that claim to be problem solvers?  Not that easy.  Milestones would be missed and fines assessed, and eventually the contractor would concede biting off more than it could chew.

It’s what’s happening with the electric vehicle charging network, where the red tape of DEI requirements has reportedly caused delays in contracting.

Our Only Hope

A new administration, will follow the lead of most corporations that have learned that DEI and the regulations it has fostered is consequential.

May God continue to bless the United States of America.